Tie fighters shoot at Daisy Ridley (Rey) & John Boyega (Fin) on the ground. Explosions go off around them. Their only chance of escape is through the air. Fin: We can’t outrun them! Rey: We might. We can out jump them. (Points to spacecraft) Fin: We need a pilot. Rey: We’ve got one. Fin: You??? What about that ship? Rey: That’s garbage. Tie fighter blows up Rey’s choice for a ship. Rey: The garbage will do. The camera pans revealing the garbage she’s referring to is the Millennium Falcon.

When Rey called the Millenium Falcon garbage and her piloting it, the scene and action meant a lot more. She represents the new generation taking up the cudgels of the biggest science fiction movie franchise and making it their own. Of course THE FORCE AWAKENS is just about getting the band back together as much as the young blood injected to it. The headline since a year ago was the return of Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia).

There is no doubt about it, the young stars Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Fin), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and even Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) are taking the lead. The younger cast is in charge of the action while, the more ‘established’ actors guide them along. The story is very much in the tradition of the original- A New Hope. Which ensures that the legion of fanatics will come back in droves after not so stellar reviews of the prequels especially with the return of Hamill and Ford.

With the success of THE FORCE AWAKENS the sequel is already in the works. I suspect that J.J. Abrams had already shot the sequel immediately. Fans would want to see more of Mark Hamill now taking up the role of Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi- or teacher when he was a young Jedi. As of last count the opening weekend is pegged at 238 million dollars. This figure surpasses the recent mark set by JURASSIC WORLD 208 million.

Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) has new role as mentor. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton quoted ‘May the Force Be With You’ during the debate on the same weekend as the opening. She got a huge applause for it too and made her look hip, young and cool. The Democratic candidates also collectively condemned Donald Trump. He has universally been seen as the Dark Side of the Force with his sexist, racist and most recently islamophobic comments.

Hardcore fans may appreciate a certain amount of continuity. The dreaded Death Star in a new hope is resurrected into a terrifying weapon many times more powerful and destructive. Here not just whole planets are destroyed, but whole planetary systems. The size of Star killer is a hundred times bigger than the Death Star. While the Death Star was under construction in most of the original movie, the STAR KILLER BASE is already fully operational. Audiences will truly see its destructive force, which in reality is unfathomable.

The exact definition is from StarWars.com : STARKILLER BASE Deep in the Unknown Regions, the First Order has constructed a superweapon that uses an entire planet as its weapons platform. The deadly Starkiller harvests energy from its system’s star, contains it within magnetic fields inside its base’s planetary core, and then converts that energy into an ultra-powerful beam that blasts through hyperspace, able to sterilize the worlds of a distant star system with a single shot. The icy world that houses the Starkiller is the First Order’s greatest secret, and essential to its plan to conquer the galaxy.

Tatooine vs Jakku–In New Hope we first see Luke Skywalker in a desert like planet with 2 suns Tatooine. Here we see Rey in Jakku also a desert like planet. Both places are remote and very dangerous, if not difficult to live and survive.

BB8 meets R2D2 for the first time. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

3D Holograms were used in several scenes. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

3D Holographic images are now a reality. We all understood how and why Luke Skywalker first fell for Princess Leia as a small 3D holograph. It seemed so far flung and impossible then. Here the 3D holographic images are also in full use. Everything from maps to displays are all in 3D holograms. The difference is now; it’s a technology that is already within reach. The only question is being able to mass market it and putting it into everyday gadgets, which, may come sooner than you think.

3D Holograms were used in several scenes. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

One thing that may have fans up in arms is the casting of hot actors and not being able to see their faces. Gwendoline Christie has gotten acclaim as Lady Brien of Tarth in Game of Thrones. She’s a tall and imposing figure perfect for action sequences. The whole time she was covered behind a mask as Captain Phasma of the Storm Troopers. Maybe Gwen may have been better cast as an evil powerful First Order/Sith? She can be a Darth Maul character while Kylo Ren is a higher up dark side knight.

Lupita Nyong’o’s face on the other hand was computer-generated as bar owner & former pirate Maz Kanata. Too bad the Oscar winning actress was unrecognizable. There won’t be too many complaints with Simon Pegg under prosthetics as the greedy trader Unkar Plutt.

Connected to this is the rumored and now confirmed casting of Daniel Craig as a storm trooper. Thomas Brodie-Sangster of Maze Runner was cast higher than 007 as a First Order Officer. He also played Jojen Reed in Game of Thrones. The quality of actors willing to take on roles as extras speaks of the STAR WARS legacy. As far as film prestige goes it has eclipsed STAR TREK in this sense. You don’t see the likes of Daniel Craig & Thomas Brodie-Sangster lining up as extras in STAR TREK sequels.

J.J. Abrams has done what no one else has-successfully resurrect two of the biggest science fiction franchises and breathe new life to them. The other franchise is STAR TREK of which he has directed two: STAR TREK (2009) & STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013). Younger audiences are now reaping the rewards of a story much loved by an older generation. Apart from The Force Awakens there was another huge franchise from the 1970s that also opened just a week before: CREED. That movie comes from ROCKY series. This one revives what original fans loved which is the rise of the underdog.

For everyone who grew up with STAR WARS from cinemas, Betamax tapes Harrison Ford delivered the perfect line. Han Solo stepped on the Millennium Falcon and said, “Chewy, We’re home.”

The First Order has hundreds of thousands of Storm troopers to conquer the galaxy. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

The First Order has hundreds of thousands of Storm troopers to conquer the galaxy. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

Harrison Ford got his big break in Star Wars as Han Solo. He went on to make other iconic films Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, Apocalypse Now, The Fugitive and many more. Catch STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in Newport Cinemas-Resort’s World Manila, EASTWOOD City Mall, Lucky China Town Mall and Shang Rila Plaza mall.

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

I'm a professional writer and photographer for over a decade. The subjects that I cover vary from entertainment to film, music, travel, lifestyle and even sports. Stories and pictures can come from anywhere, this is my way of sharing them with you.

Yes we have to do something while there's still time renxkyoko. We must tell our kababayan, through our blogs, social media why its wrong to vote for him, using reason, logic, common sense. Thank you for your comment.

Thank you so much for commenting renxkyoko ! I'm shocked, afraid and horrifed too with the prospect of him being our president that's why i thought of writing this article. what's unbelievable to me is the fact that NO ONE's calling him out on his lies. SO many people are now afraid to speak out against him. THIS IS SO scary. do you have […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Photos & Text by Jude Bautista

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

[…] for granted, not just by the youth but Filipinos in general. That’s why yearly events such as the PASINAYA where these activities come together are so important. Include Cinemalaya, Cinema One, Virgin […]

Our Lost Culture in 3 Stars And A Sun | Text and Photos by Jude Bautista